


One

by orphan_account



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drabble, Everybody Lives, Grief, Heartbreak, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Oneshot, Post-Canon, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 23:43:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15230646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: La douleur exquise(n.) The heart wrenching pain of wanting the affections of someone unattainable.Based off the scene in ITV's Period Drama, Victoria (2016) in which Victoria confesses her feelings to Lord Melbourne.





	One

**Author's Note:**

> Something I wrote after watching the series Victoria, in order to try and get myself back into writing. I've taken a considerable amount of time away from this site and writing in general, so I decided it was time to change that! I beta my own work, so please forgive any mistakes or if this piece is sloppy in any shape.

"Ah, it's just you." Noctis called upon standing, half a smile on his face. "I couldn't see from here."  
  


Prompto gave a small nod of his head, watching the King stand from his seat on the edge of the stone statue. Since becoming King, Noctis had taken habit of hiding away in the gardens as of late apparently. A small amount of time to himself, to walk amongst the quiet shrubbery of the palace gardens in a small moment of privacy. Prompto couldn't blame the King of Kings. Any moment of peace was a blessing after everything that had happened.

  
"Ignis told me you'd be here." Prompto said softly upon approach. He gave his close friend a small half bow to which Noctis waved a hand gently. Noctis nodded gently and began to start into a casual pace. Prompto stepped into stride beside him, hands clasped behind his back as the two men walked together.

  
"It's nice and quiet out here. No people, just the plants and the birds." Noctis said, and Prompto couldn't help but smile. It was only a pity that Noctis, after all these years, had only now grown to love the outdoors the very moment he was confined to man made buildings. He began to ease his strides and gestured up to a large tree a good distance away.

  
"Those are rooks." He told Prompto, smiling at his friend. Prompto watched the large black birds, hopping branch to branch and cawing loudly.

  
"They look a bit like you." He offered, causing the King to laugh.

  
"Apparently a big gathering like that is called a parliament... They seem more well mannered than the human version don't you think?" Noctis joked, giving Prompto a smirk. Prompto exchanged the smile, but not whole heartedly. Another time he would've appreciated Noctis' humour as rare as it was during these days. But not when his nerves were rattling him so at this moment.  
  


A small silence fell between the two, before Prompto found himself uttering "I'm sorry to bother you, Noct" his hands clasping over his wrists tighter. He felt out of place to use an old nickname.

  
"You're not a bother." Noctis answered quickly, moving his full attention to him. Prompto felt his mouth run dry.

  
"Ignis said this was your private place though." Prompto said, feigning an apologetic tone

  
"Well I can't stay completely hidden." Noctis responded, and this drew a smile out of Prompto. Noctis' smile widened more and the two fell into silence again briefly, enjoying the peace.   
Prompto swallowed gently and relaxed his shoulders an inch of what he could.

  
"I thought about something yesterday.." Prompto began softly.

Noctis raised his eyebrows lightly.

"Yeah?"

  
If his muscles weren't beginning to seize up on him, Prompto most definitely knew he would be trembling slightly.

  
"I think - perhaps... If I could just speak as myself, and not as crowns guard." He asked quietly, ducking his heard. Goodness knows he was still here, a lowly commoner as a trusted protector of this man.

"At the start, in the beginning, you were my only friend. And then... I thought you were the brother I never had. But now I feel - I mean I realised and, I know.... that you're the only companion that I could ever hope to call my own."

  
There was a long pause. Prompto kept his mouth shut and watched Noctis' brows knit together ever so slightly. He could feel the blood pulsing through his chest. The wind blew a cold breeze through his hair, stinging the tips of his ears and Noctis took a few steps forward. He closed the distance between them, the proximity almost suffocating. The King moved a hand gently to the guard's elbow. And the feather light tap was all that it took. With a bleary sense of understanding, Prompto unfurled his clasped hands and let them hang loose at his sides. With tender care, The King took one of his hands, studying the freckle dusted knuckles before bringing it between his own palm.

Prompto stared at Noctis, trying to understand fully. But the other man simply kept his dark eyes low.

"Did you know that rooks mate for life, Prompto?" Noctis asked, his voice hoarse. Prompto felt his jaw slack, unsure of whether Noctis' question was rhetorical.

"Every single year they build a nest together and gather up precious little things that they've found through out their time together... Cherishing everything. " Noctis lifted his head, eyes glossy and a sad smile adorned his pale lips.

"If only I'd spent more time doing that... Shouldering my responsibility, then maybe she'd still be with us"

"You can't blame yourself for what happened to Luna." Prompto cut in, voice low but assertive. It had been so long.

"No... I can't." Noctis agreed softly. He gave Prompto's hand a slow squeeze. His smiled faded, and his eyes became serious. Prompto felt his chest ache.

"I also can't give you hope." Noctis concluded.

"I think you already gave it to me." Prompto admitted, drawing in just a small amount of his bottom lip. "... My heart," he began,

"No." Noctis countered.

"Please keep it intact for someone else. Because I don't have any use for it."

Prompto felt his brows turn upwards, the wind around them growing colder.

"I mate for life." The King told him softly.

Everything fell still, and everything became silent around them. Something had unravelled, crashed, and fallen. And Prompto moved, like a catalyst breaking away. He left the warmth of the King's hands and retracted them to behind his back.

"I see." But the words were barely there. Prompto's voice had dissolved into near sand. When the nausea rose, he decided it was a good moment to leave.

"Forgive me for disturbing you, your Majesty." The crowns guard apologised. He gave a curt bow to his King before turning and leaving.

The only thing that called after him were the rooks.

And only then, did Prompto allow the tears to come once he had made greater distance.


End file.
